This is Isaiah's vision of the almighty King when an earthly reign of over fifty years had come--or was coming--to its end. The vision of the Lord's transcendence never left Isaiah: The exaltation of Israel's great God is a frequent theme in his oracles.
"Seraphs" are part of the great variety of heavenly beings created by God (along with others such as angels, archangels and cherubim). The seraphs are bright creatures, for the word means "burning ones"; yet they hide their faces from the greater brightness and the glory of the Lord.
The theme of divine holiness is of towering importance in Isaiah. This man of God could never forget the disclosure of transcendent purity he encountered when he was called to prophetic service.
The language of fullness describes the awesome transcendence of the sovereign God, and teaches his immanence. His transcendence is not remoteness or aloofness but is known through his presence in his created world and temple.
The word "glory" is used of God in his manifestation to his creatures. God who normally hides himself from the senses occasionally made himself known in a form accessible to them, and he ultimately did so in the consummate unveiling of himself in his Son.
The people of the OT always felt a deep apprehension at the prospect of seeing God. This must have been underlined still more for Isaiah as he saw even the seraphs covering their faces in the presence of the Most High.
To serve God, Isaiah needed to be a clean instrument. Significantly, one of the seraphs is the instrument of purification administered to the prophet.
Isaiah is not coerced into service; rather, his will makes its ready response as a grateful reaction to God's forgiving grace.
Isaiah was apprised of the people's hardness of heart by the Lord Almighty, who not only knew what would occur but had planned it. The prophets did not find God's message of judgment easy to utter. They belonged to the nation they addressed and must often have wept for its sins and its certain judgment.
The devastation, great as it was to be, would not be total; but even its survivors would have to submit to further judgment. The illustration from nature introduces an element of hope. He has a continuing purpose of life for the remnant of his people. The remnant of his people in relation to his own transcendent being is condescending grace indeed!
"Seraphs" are part of the great variety of heavenly beings created by God (along with others such as angels, archangels and cherubim). The seraphs are bright creatures, for the word means "burning ones"; yet they hide their faces from the greater brightness and the glory of the Lord.
The theme of divine holiness is of towering importance in Isaiah. This man of God could never forget the disclosure of transcendent purity he encountered when he was called to prophetic service.
The language of fullness describes the awesome transcendence of the sovereign God, and teaches his immanence. His transcendence is not remoteness or aloofness but is known through his presence in his created world and temple.
The word "glory" is used of God in his manifestation to his creatures. God who normally hides himself from the senses occasionally made himself known in a form accessible to them, and he ultimately did so in the consummate unveiling of himself in his Son.
The people of the OT always felt a deep apprehension at the prospect of seeing God. This must have been underlined still more for Isaiah as he saw even the seraphs covering their faces in the presence of the Most High.
To serve God, Isaiah needed to be a clean instrument. Significantly, one of the seraphs is the instrument of purification administered to the prophet.
Isaiah is not coerced into service; rather, his will makes its ready response as a grateful reaction to God's forgiving grace.
Isaiah was apprised of the people's hardness of heart by the Lord Almighty, who not only knew what would occur but had planned it. The prophets did not find God's message of judgment easy to utter. They belonged to the nation they addressed and must often have wept for its sins and its certain judgment.
The devastation, great as it was to be, would not be total; but even its survivors would have to submit to further judgment. The illustration from nature introduces an element of hope. He has a continuing purpose of life for the remnant of his people. The remnant of his people in relation to his own transcendent being is condescending grace indeed!
